Annexation Battle Leaves Scars In, Near Lake Bluff

Jilted, `Knollwood Will Never Be The Same' After Bitter War

Two weeks after Lake Bluff voters rejected the idea of bringing Knollwood into its borders, Knollwood residents are speculating about the unincorporated area's future.

But before anything can happen, the hard feelings created by the campaigns for and against the annexation will have to heal.

And that will not occur easily or quickly.

"There have been smashed mailboxes, hang-up phone calls and all kinds of harassment," said Gary Aull, a Knollwood resident who campaigned against the move.

Perhaps tracing to the squabble, the Lake County sheriff's department recorded a small increase in non-automobile-related complaints of criminal damage from Knollwood during August and September.

"People have spread lies and said things they will never be able to take back," Aull added. "Knollwood will never be the same."

Had the vote gone the other way, Knollwood's 2,000 residents might be destined to be villagers of Lake Bluff, with its 5,500 residents. But Nov. 5, Lake Bluff residents voted overwhelmingly against the annexation in an advisory referendum, defeating the measure 2,099 to 903.

Lake Bluff Village Board members had said they would abide by whatever voters decided. For the time being, they seem to be doing just that. On Nov. 19 the board ignored a request from a Knollwood resident that the board move forward with the annexation anyway.

Kent Street, village administrator, said, "Until the board decides to respond to that in some way, we are not going to be re-entering discussion of the issue in any comprehensive way again."

That is understandable but a shame, said Dan Rogers, a longtime Knollwood resident and business owner. He led the petition drive that got the annexation issue on the November ballot.

"I think Lake Bluff should revisit the issue and do it immediately," he said. "I think if you pick up the Lake Bluff phone book and call 100 people, they would all agree there was too much skewed, tainted and false information out there to make an informed decision."

Those in favor of the annexation stressed that better services would be provided for Knollwood by the village and that the move would be a natural progression, since Knollwood children attend Lake Bluff schools and residents of both areas share park facilities.

Lake Bluff also would be able to impose its strict building and zoning ordinances on future development in Knollwood.

"The future revenue from this area is huge," Rogers said. "I think Lake Bluff shot itself in the foot."

Nonsense, said Chris Letchinger, a Lake Bluff resident who opposed the annexation, in part, because it would have meant sharing with Knollwood Lake Bluff's sales-tax revenue. That is expected to increase by as much as $1 million annually now that the Knauz auto dealership has moved to Lake Bluff.

"The people who want to keep Knollwood Knollwood are happy," Aull said. "The people who wanted their addresses to be in Lake Bluff aren't. I wish they (proponents) would just move there, instead of trying to hurt everyone else."

Though the issue seems dead for Lake Bluff, three other municipalities, Lake Forest, Green Oaks and North Chicago, could launch annexation bids for Knollwood.